


Somewhere I Can Rest My Soul

by grangered



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: F/M, listen i know this has been done 283738733 times but i had to write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 20:26:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11608311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grangered/pseuds/grangered
Summary: “Oh man, I thought I almost missed there,” someone says and she whips around to find a man, no, teenage boy, in a red and blue suit and if it weren’t for their encounter in D.C. then Michelle would probably be sceptical right now. Michele however, is frozen in place. She knows that voice, hell, goes to school with that voice.Or, Michelle finds out that Peter is Spider-Man.





	Somewhere I Can Rest My Soul

The fifth time she encounters Spider-Man, she’s on her way home after school. Technically, it’s the second because the other four times she hadn’t been the one he was helping and she had mostly been watching him from afar. She had stopped by a bookstore and ended up getting distracted so now it’s almost 7 pm and her mother is most definitely going to be angry with her. Queens is Queens so she’s not surprised when a burly, frankly terrible smelling man asks for her wallet. She tells him about the odour issue when he does and he clenches his jaw before raising his fist but Michelle is already prepared although she doesn’t actually have to use her pepper spray because the man is suddenly flinching away and stumbling backwards, clutching his face.

“Oh man, I thought I almost missed there,” someone says and she whips around to find a man, no, _teenage boy_ , in a red and blue suit and if it weren’t for their encounter in D.C. then Michelle would probably be sceptical right now. Michele however, is frozen in place. She knows that voice, hell, _goes to school_ with that voice. And she can’t believe she didn’t put two and two together until know. Peter’s eyes widen when he realises who she is, or at least she thinks they do because she sees his face twitch beneath the mask and the mask’s eyes widen slightly.

The man is still groaning in pain, but Peter moves past her quickly. Almost as if he’s avoiding her gaze. He shoots more webs, making sure the man is firmly stuck to a fire hydrant before sticking a note on his forehead.

“Right, Ma’am. I’m glad you’re okay,” he says, turning towards her and Michelle would roll her eyes if she wasn’t in a sort of slight state of shock. He’s already shooting a web and slinging away and Michelle yells a _stop, wait_ but he’s already gone. She glances at the man who glares at her, before she starts walking back home, quickening her pace.

***

Michelle spends the whole night piecing things together from last year. How Peter had disappeared the day of the decathlon only for Spider-Man to show up at the monument. How he had once again disappeared at homecoming only for Spider-Man to take down Liz’s dad later that evening. How sometimes Peter had shown up to school with a scratch on his face or a slight limp in his walk.

By the time she’s walking to school, she’s questioning her investigatory skills. She waves at Ned who’s sitting on a bench and paging through a pamphlet and usually, she’d join him on the bench to get some reading done before class but today she heads straight to Peter’s locker and sits down on the floor, flinching at the cold linoleum. She knows Peter usually shows up at school right before first period so she takes out her essay on the Vietnamese War and proof reads it because she needs something to do. She’s read it over thrice by the time Peter shows up and when he sees at his locker, he gives her his usual wave.

“Hey MJ,” he greets. He’s about to continue but she beats him to it.

“I know it was you,” she says. “Yesterday night, when that guy tried to mug me. I know it was you.”

He hesitates and she knows he’s contemplating whether or not to deny it because she knows him. In the end, he sighs.

“Yeah,” he simply agrees. “It was me.”

Michelle has a lot of questions but she knows now isn’t the place or the time to ask because the bell for first period just went off and they’re surrounded by a bunch of teenagers who would probably blow Peter’s cover in the span of a millisecond.

“I’m not gonna force you to tell me about it if you don’t want to,” she says. Peter looks at her with an expression she can’t name before he grins.

“After school. I’ll explain it all then,” he says and she feels relieved. She nods before heading to homeroom.

***

 She gets into an argument with her history teacher about the aftermath of the Civil War which tires her out. By the time the bell goes off, Michele has almost completely forgotten about meeting up with Peter. She only remembers when she hears him calling her name as she walks towards the gates.

“You forgot?” Peter asks, almost incredulous and Michelle shrugs. “Right, so I assume you have questions.”

She hums. “How?”

“I was bitten by a radioactive spider last year,” he answers and Michele snorts. Peter looks offended.

“Jeez, calm down Parker. I’m not laughing at you. But you gotta admit, that’s pretty weird,” she says and Peter shrugs, almost sheepish. “So now, what? You can shoot webs from your wrist?”

“Actually no, I have a machine for that. But, I do have heightened senses, I guess? And super strength,” he finishes, almost smug. Michelle raises an eyebrow at him. “What? It’s cool _okay_.”

“Does May know?” is Michelle’s third question and Peter nods his head.

“Almost killed me when she found out but she’s learnt to live with it. Well, sort of,” he says and Michelle nods.

“And I assume the Tony Stark internship was actually a cover for you swinging around New York?” she asks and this time, Peter nods.

“Yeah. He built me all my tech,” he responds. They continue walking and Michelle realises they’re heading towards her own house.

“How do you know where I live?” she asks, and Peter clears his throat, always awkward.

“Oh, uh, yeah. I sort of followed you back home yesterday to make sure you got their safe,” he explains, rubbing the back of his neck and Michelle feels something warm settle in her chest.

“How noble,” she says which is her way of saying _thank you_ and Peter seems to pick up on that because he shrugs. They’re quiet for a bit before Michele asks him another question.

“So you actually fought with the Avengers?”

“Captain America threw his shield at me,” Peter answers and she can hear the excitement in his tone.

“Huh. That’s kinda cool,” she says and Peter grins, smug again.

“MJ, just admit it. It’s _super_ cool.”

“I guess.”

“Like _super-duper_ cool.”

“It’s a shame that New York City is putting all their trust in a person that uses the term _super-duper_.”

***

Now that the initial _Oh my god, my friend is Spider-Man_ shock has worn off, Michele finds herself being, overly concerned. Which, if she’s being honest, is sort of odd.  It’s not like she’s been friends with Peter for ages and she isn’t one to get attached, yet here she is. The news channels are eating up the whole Spider-Man thing, and everything Peter does when he’s in the red and blue suit is broadcast on television. This, Michelle realises, is both a blessing and a curse. She ends up watching the news every night now, relieved when there are no stories about Spider-Man’s web shooters going faulty or him being shot at or something by a crazy mobster.

It’s a Tuesday morning and Ned and her are working on a calculus set when the bell for first period goes off. Peter hasn’t shown up yet and it isn’t all that surprising since he isn’t exactly a shining example of being punctual but Michelle starts getting worried when they’re heading to gym and he still hasn’t shown up.

By lunch, her and Ned are panicking.

“Did he text you?” he asks her and she shakes her head.

“Maybe he’s just sick,” she suggests but they both know that’s probably not the case.

“I can’t go to his place today, I’m going to New Jersey for the weekend to visit family,” Ned says.

“I’ll go,” Michelle says before she realises what she’s saying. She clears her throat. “I have to give him his geometry homework anyways, so I’ll go.”

Ned nods before taking a sip of his soda. Michelle stabs at a piece of meatloaf, trying to settle her nerves as she takes a bite.

***

Michelle rings the doorbell twice before the knob turns, and it opens. Peter stands in front of her, looking tired but generally unharmed except for a bruise on his cheekbone.

“MJ? What are you doing here?” he asks and Michelle hands him his geometry homework.

“Ned was worried,” she says and Peter looks up from the piece of paper. “You didn’t show up at school, and you go swinging around the city at night. He was pretty much assuming the worst. He would’ve come but-“

“Family reunion in New Jersey,” Peter interrupts and Michelle nods.

“I was worried too,” she adds and a look crosses Peter’s face but before she can figure out what it was, it’s gone.

“May was angry last night, when I came home with this,” Peter explains, pointing to the purple skin below his eye. It doesn’t look too bad, but his right eye is slightly blood shot and before Michelle knows it, she’s reaching up to touch the purpled skin. Peter flinches but doesn’t move away. She moves her hand back and he’s watching her carefully before he continues. “She told me to stay at home today, get some rest. Also gave me a speech about how if anything happens to me, she’s gonna deck Tony Stark in the face.”

Michelle grins. “You can’t blame her, can you? If I had a kid that was a superhero by night, the anxiety would kill me.”

Peter nods, looking almost guilty. “I know. She’s been through enough as is.”

“At least she knows now. Plus, if May didn’t want you doing this, you would _not_ be doing this,” she says and Peter snorts. They’re silent for a while longer before Michelle clears her throat.

“I should get going, I promised my mom I’d be home before it got dark,” she says, standing up. Peter stands up too, nodding.

“No, yeah, totally. Thanks for dropping this by,” he says as he holds up the geometry assignment. “And thanks for you know, checking in.”

Michelle doesn’t know if it’s the relief of Peter not being dead in a ditch somewhere or if turning sixteen has suddenly made her more emotional but suddenly, she’s pulling Peter into a hug. Peter seems frozen at first, as if not expecting it, which really, she can’t blame him for because this is the most affectionate she has ever been with him. But soon, he’s hugging her back and when they pull away, she’s fairly sure her ears are red.

“You should put some ice on that,” she says before she leaves. He nods, and then she’s out the door.

***

They win the state decathlon by a mile and Michelle gets pulled into at least fifty hugs. Ned is buzzing next to her and Peter hasn’t stopped smiling since the announcement.

“Party at my house, tonight. Even you’re invited Petey,” Flash announces and Peter rolls his eyes although there isn’t any malice in either of their actions. Michelle didn’t think it was possible, but Peter and Flash have actually become friends. Or at least acquaintances. And Flash doesn’t call Peter _Penis Parker_ anymore so that’s definitely a step up.

A few hours later, she’s in Flash’s house which is already packed with people. Some guy tries to convince her to play beer pong with him and a girl who she’s never actually met before, pulls her into a hug but overall, it’s pretty nice. She’s sitting with Peter and Ned, nursing an already flat soda when Flash grabs the microphone.

“Ladies, and gentlemen,” he starts, strobe lights bouncing off his leather jacket. “We’re here today because we just fucking annihilated everyone else in the decathlon. We’re going to the Nationals baby!”

This gets a roar from the crowd which Michelle finds amusing since no one at school has ever actually cared about the decathlon before. The power of cheap alcohol, she thinks. Flash talks some more and the crowd yells some more before the thumping bass of the music is turned back on.

Ned and Layla, who Michelle vaguely knows from gym, are talking before they both stand up.

“We’re gonna get a drink,” Ned says and Peter nods. Michelle raises her hand in a half wave and then they’re both walking away.

“They grow up so fast,” Michelle says.

“Ned’s been nursing a friend crush on her the size of Russia since the summer,” Peter explains and Michelle hums.

“Cute,” is her response and Peter is about to say something when his phone buzzes. He looks down before his brows furrow, before looking back up, face apologetic.

“I have to go,” he says and Michelle nods, ignores the disappointment settling in her gut.

“Go be a superhero, Parker,” she says and he grins.

***

Michele leaves an hour later. Parties aren’t her thing and with her one friend trying to save the world and her other friend flirting with his crush, she doesn’t have much else to do. Flash pulls her into a hug when she says goodbye before proclaiming her the guest of honour into the microphone, which gets another roar from the crowd. He’s pretty drunk.

By the time she gets home, her parents are already asleep, which she expects so she tiptoes to her room.

What she does not expect is to find a _very_ bloodied Peter Parker, sitting on the floor at the foot of her bed.

“Wow, MJ, you really do read a lot don’t you?” he asks, gesturing to the three stacks of books near her window. Except his voice is strained and weak, and he sounds tired. Michelle shuts the door quickly, before spinning around.

“What happened to you?” she asks, already kneeling next to him. There’s a long gash across his jawbone and another one on his forehead.

“Mob bosses don’t really like it when you meddle in their business,” he says and Michelle lets out a sigh. “Sorry for bleeding on your floor but I can’t go home like this and I figured you’d be back since Ned is with Layla and-“

“Oh my god, Peter, just shut up,” Michelle says, voice wavering. She stands up and heads to her bathroom, getting face towels and a bowl of warm water before she comes back. She begins wiping the gash across his jaw and when the bleeding has stopped; she carefully pours some antibacterial liquid on it. Peter hisses but doesn’t complain. She does the same with the cut near his eyebrow.

“Where else are you hurt?” she asks and Peter looks sheepish as he points to his ribs. “Do you have a death wish?”

“I didn’t think there would be so many,” he says and Michelle grits her jaw.

“They’re mob bosses, Peter. What were you expecting?”

When he takes off his suit, Michelle stills. The skin that covers his ribs is blotched red and purple and she hears his breathing coming out in shallow pants. She takes in a deep breath before she reaches forwards, gently touching the bruised skin.

“I took a first aid course over the summer,” she says. “I can check if your ribs are broken or if it’s just external bruising but if they’re broken then we _have_ to go to a hospital, Peter.”

Peter nods, flinching slightly as she begins pressing against the muscle and bone there, as gently as she can. Nothing feels damaged, and his ribs seem in place but Michelle’s hands are shaking slightly so she can’t be sure.

“Breathe in,” she instructs and he does. “Did it hurt?”

Peter shakes his head and breathes in again and Michelle feels around his torso. She lets out a sigh of relief.

“I think they’re just external bruises,” she says. “I have Tylenol for the pain and we can bandage your torso.”

Fifteen minutes later and Peter’s patched up, visibly less bloody and his voice isn’t as shaky as it was before. They’re sitting next to each other, backs resting against the base of her bed.

“Sorry, if I scared you,” he says once the silence goes from comfortable to awkward.

“You’re not invincible, Parker,” is Michelle’s response. “You could have seriously gotten hurt.”

He nods. “I know. It was stupid, I got carried away.”

“You should tell May,” she says.

“I will. First thing tomorrow,” he responds and Michelle turns to look at him. He’s already looking at her and she’s moving forward, pressing her forehead against his so that the tips of their noses touch. The kiss is short, and Michelle pulls back. Peter’s cheeks are bright red.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” she says and he grins.

“Me too. I haven’t even reached the peak of my fame yet,” he jokes and Michelle rolls her eyes.

“You’re an idiot, Parker.”

“Superhero,” Peter corrects and she moves back to flick him on his forehead. Well, on the side of his forehead that isn’t bandaged up.

“Ouch, MJ. Way to knock me while I’m down.”

“Drama Queen,” she says fondly.

“Superhero,” Peter repeats and Michelle snorts.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm pretty sure this plot has been done a bunch of times, but oh well. i hope i didn't butcher the characterisations because that would obviously be awful. anyways, homecoming was sooooo good and all the characters were so lovable and great??? i can't wait for the sequels. i wrote this from the 3.5 scenes we got with peter and mj but i mean come on, the way she looked at him in that last scene? there's definitely something brewing there. 
> 
> kudos and comments are always welcome.
> 
> also totally unedited (oops) so apologies if there are any errors.
> 
> p.s. title from a justin bieber song because i am desperate and out of ideas (but if i'm being honest cold water is a total jam)


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